Patents by Inventor Stephen F. Koster

Stephen F. Koster has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Pump-over fermentation tank and methods
    Patent number: 6631732
    Abstract: A pump-over fermentation tank has a valve between the pump-over chamber and fermentation chamber providing multi-directional diffusion of the pump-over liquid into the fermentation or extraction chamber. The valve is opened slowly for irrigation of the fermentation cap and is opened rapidly to achieve mixing of the contents in the fermentation chamber. The valve is self-centering in the near-closed position, and in a particular embodiment has diffusers on the perimeter of the valve to direct the pump-over liquid to different regions of the surface of the contents in the fermentation chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Inventors: Stephen F. Koster, Mark A. Nilson